WASHINGTON — A DC Charity handed out hundreds of healthy meals on Saturday. But it feels more like putting on a band-aid to seal up a wound that runs deep due to the financial struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And while many churches and charities have been stepping up since the beginning of the pandemic to make sure everyone has enough to eat — the need has continued to worsen … while in some cases the giving isn’t keeping pace.
Local food banks and charities say, now more than ever, they need the community’s help.
Months into the pandemic, DC-based Stride Summer Camp has shifted its services from summer camps for kids.
Stride Summer Camp Co-Founder, Victor Salcido, said they wanted to help make people had good food to eat.
“We partnered with local restaurants, that way the money stays funneled into this area to provide healthy meals amid a food desert during a pandemic.” Said Salcido.
In the Kenilworth Parkside neighborhood, community leader William Commodore said the food is appreciated.
“There’s a lot of families out there that are not doing so well. A lot of people, they got laid off from their jobs, and they’re struggling to get food on the table,” said Commodore.
The need for food across the DMV is great- and getting worse.
Capital Area Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief agency in the region. its CEO Rhada Mhutia said food prices have gone up — while they're expecting a 40-60% increase in need over the coming months.
“What we’ve seen is that this is not just a short term, isolated event over the last few months, but this is more like a marathon,” said Muthia.
But despite that persistent need, over at the World Central Kitchen, CEO Nick Mook said they’re donations have been declining.
“Those funds have run dry. We’ve unfortunately started to have to wind down some of our operations here in the district, said Mook.
For its part, Stride Summer Camp Co Founder, Clayton Foreman, said they plan to be back — as much as possible
“ We’re going to be trying to come out here next weekend and hopefully weekends after that- but it really is a matter of funding at that point.”